Treasure Hunt

In your Treasure Hunt blog, provide a link to your favourite blog on the marine environment (NOTE this should not one of the blogs included in the ‘Resources for Assessments’ folder of iLearn). In the accompanying text, explain why you like the blog and think it is an effective communication

I find this blog very appealing for several reasons. Firstly I love sharks and I’m aware of the significant threats that face their very survival. In particular the shark fin trade, which Indonesia is the largest exporter of! This blog is effective as it on a solid topic where numerous disgrace (emotive) statistics about sharks status area available. The importance of choosing a good topic with solid information enables readers to be drawn in. Though the blog emits a grave atmosphere a video at the end displays hope, which really helps to captivate audiences emotions. Pictures throughout of small harmless sharks also emote feelings of sympathy to the reader again effectively communicating the point sharks are not as scary as they seem and really need our help.

Identify another recent example (i.e. not covered by this module) documented by the Australian media in which there has been conflict in the management of a marine resource. In your Treasure Hunt blog, provide a link to a newspaper article, radio interview or news video documenting the conflict. In your accompanying text, identify who the stakeholders are in the conflict and summarise how their values of the marine resource differ.

The conflict of not allowing a super trawler ‘Abel Tasman’ to trawl in Australian waters has affected many businesses and people. The main stake holders include; the crew and owner of the Abel Tasman have been negatively affected due to reduced/zero fishing catch, which will negatively impact them in a economic way. Seafood vending businesses also will receive a reduced amount of seafood to sell therefore will make less money. Conservationists/scientists will benefit, as fish stocks will not significantly deplete so they can succeed in conserving species and research into theses species will be easier. Recreational fishermen and smaller commercial fishermen will also be benefited, as they will have more fish to catch. A secondary stakeholder could be the petroleum company, as they will now sell a lot less fuel due to the super trawler ban (these massive ships use massive amounts of fuel).

Visit your favourite coastal/estuarine site and take a photo of what it presently looks like at high tide. Then, take photos of where the high tide mark might be under scenarios of 0.5 m and 1.1 m vertical sea-level rise. Be sure to include yourself in the pictures to document your presence. Add the pictures to your portfolio along with a brief explanation of what (if any) the implications of sea-level rise will be at your chosen site.

http://blog.ltc.mq.edu.au/sebmadden212/treasure-hunt/p1000016/ ‎

This photo was taken at Rosebay sand flats at the peak of high tide. If the ocean levels are to rise 0.5-1.1 meters vertically the houses will be in significant trouble. The houses are very close to the waters edge; though they have relatively high walls elevating themselves above sea level eventually there will be nothing they can do. It is important to note they will not cope heavy wave action from storms as Rosebay is within Sydney Harbor, reducing the intensity of wave action drastically.

Visit your local fish shop (or fish section of the supermarket) and identify two types of seafood on sale that have been cultivated using aquaculture. Take photographs to document your presence at the shop/supermarket, and showing the two seafood products. Add the photos to your portfolio, along with a brief description of how the product is cultivated (and if possible, where).

I visited Woolworths and checked out their seafood section to find most fish sold were actually harvested in aquaculture operations in Australia. The first photo is me holding ‘Gold Smoked Salmon’ is cultivated in Tasmania in open nets and cage systems connected directly to the ocean. The second photo is of me holding ‘Goulburn Smoke River Trout’ which is cultivated in inland NSW, in pond systems, which are sustainably run as they are connected to the Goulburn River.

Find a location where blue carbon may be stored. Provide multimedia to document your presence at the location (i.e. include yourself in it). Upload the multimedia to your blog, along with an explanation of why you think the location might be a good carbon store.

This photo was taken in the Gulf of Dulce, Costa Rica. Behind me is Rhizophora mangle, commonly known as the Red Mangrove. The red mangrove is extremely abundant in the Gulf of Dulce. The red mangrove is known to be a blue carbon store, as not only does it hold CO2 within the biomass but traps CO2 in the sediment under it.

Using markers on a map(s), indicate a location in the Australian marine environment that you think would be ideal for renewable energy generation, and in which it is not presently occurring. Upload the map to your Treasure Hunt blog and in the accompanying text, explain why you have selected the location and what type of renewable energy generation you think the location would be suitable for.

http://blog.ltc.mq.edu.au/sebmadden212/treasure-hunt/waeeve/

Australia should take advantage of extensive coastline and use the renewable energy source of wave power. There are numerous extremely effective places that Australia could apply wave power stations due it being an island! However I believe the most effective place in Australia not currently being used for accessing the energy from waves is eastern Tasmania (particularly south east). Tasmania all year round is constantly coping massive storms primarily from the Southern Ocean (where waves are huge and have extreme power. Eastern Tasmania particularly takes the brunt of these wind driven storms. Currently Victoria has been a place for wave power stations because it is in a similar region to eastern Tasmania but a lot closer the rest of the population (less transportation of energy). Insane waves are produced from the southern ocean such as ‘Shipsterns’ a world-renowned wave in southeast Tasmania. Instead of just surfing these monsters we should grasp their awesome amounts of energy.

Take a photo (or video) of yourself engaging in an activity (or making a behavioural choice) that will minimise pollution of the marine environment. Add this to your Treasure Hunt blog and, in the accompanying text, explain what it is you are doing and why it will make a difference, in terms of marine pollution.

The simple act of properly disposing of plastic debris if done on a global scale will reduce the amount of plastic that finds its way into the worlds oceans every year. By me simply disposing of my plastic bags and not littering, it results in less plastic debris. This may not make a difference on a large scale however every piece of plastic debris not in the ocean potentially saves marine animals such as turtles and birds. There may even be a physiological impact where others see me throwing that plastic bag in the bin (in the library surrounded by many people) and it may influence them to do it subconsciously or consciously thereby the amount of plastic debris finding its way into the ocean begins to decline at a higher rate.

Find an example of a marine organism that is thought to have been introduced to Australian waters by shipping. In your Treasure Hunt blog, provide a picture of the species (this does not need to be original but please acknowledge its source), a brief description of how it is thought to have arrived in Australia and how its spread is presently being managed.

http://blog.ltc.mq.edu.au/sebmadden212/?attachment_id=63

Musculista senhousia or commonly known as the Asian date mussel is a marine pest living in Australia, it was introduced to western Australia at least 30 years ago when it was first discovered. It was most likely introduced by fouling on fishing trawlers. As its biology allows it to attach to artificial tough substrate, also the Swan river is a location where many fishing trawlers congregate. It began spreading around Australia at a fast pace but populations were decimated by extreme rainfall events in 2000 destroying the populations. The management hasn’t been necessary as it is not good at adapting to Australia’s fluctuating climate.

Find one Australian newspaper or magazine article providing an argument for marine parks and one providing an argument against marine parks (bonus points if these are from 2014). Place these in your Treasure Hunt blog, and explain whether each argument is supported by science.

This first paper is against marine parks, this focused more upon the overall benefits of having or not having a marine park. Its focused on how with marine parks recreational and commercial fishermen are greatly disadvantaged and could potentially go out of business. Not a lot of science here just reasoning for why they want to marine parks to be reduced or eliminated, not worried about the ecological concerns which is the main reason their made in the first place.

This Paper is pro marine parks and focuses on the the benefits of marine parks not just for the ecosystem but for small industries. It focuses on the diving industry and how without marine parks with will suffer. It then argues that there are not enough marine parks and that a lot of species are in significant trouble. Lots of statistics are put into this article with appropriate referencing to each stat displaying the level of science behind this article is significant.